Tuesday, October 05, 2004

The Poles’ poll

Updating our Blog of 19 September, giving the then state-of-play on the EU constitution referendums, we are now getting further information on the Polish referendum.

According to the Polish News Agency PAP, president Aleksander Kwasniewski is suggesting that it should take place at the same time as a presidential vote planned for the end of 2005. "I feel personally that the constitutional treaty should be voted on during the presidential election," he says. "That way we would see which presidential candidates are supporters of a Europe united in its diversity."

Oddly enough, our own rules would exclude such a timing, as the otherwise witless Electoral Commission considers that such issues should not be confused.

Whether the Poles will be confused is another matter, but they are certain retaining – for the moment – a slight majority in favour of the project. The latest opinion poll gives 56 percent for ratifying the constitution.